I can’t count the number of times over the years I passed through the city of Auburn on Interstate 80 and noticed the old courthouse and the statue of the miner. Each time I promised myself, “One of these days I’m going to stop and check this out.” Well, that day finally arrived — and even though I only paused […]
The waters of Folsom Lake may be at historically low levels this spring, but right now the shoreline that would normally be underwater is covered in something something even more beautiful. We found these purple lupine blanketing the ground at Rattlesnake Bar State Park on the north fork, but it seems to be blooming in profusion elsewhere on the lake […]
I didn’t see a great variety of vernal pool flowers when I visited Phoenix Park last Tuesday, but the aptly named Goldfields are blanketing the depressions, accentuated by a few pale pink Checkermallow. I also noticed (but didn’t photograph) quite a lot of yellow Fiddleneck and Butter ‘n eggs, and the small invasive pink-purple Filaree are literally everywhere. My personal […]
I’ve seen so many turkeys strolling around this part of town for such a long time that these days I normally don’t bother photographing them anymore. But when a flock comes wandering down my street and stops right in front of my house, I can’t resist. Even though these big birds are now an all-too-common sight, it’s still a great […]
The disappointment of seeing ever-lower water levels at Folsom Lake on each successive visit is only just counterbalanced by the abundant wildflowers and the fact that, so far at least, everything looks very green and fresh. Now is the best time to get out hiking, before everything dries up and the temperatures start climbing beyond the magical springtime range into […]
It takes roughly an hour to make the long, winding drive from our house out to Peninsula Campground at Folsom Lake, although sometimes it feels more like half the day. The last 11.5 miles take you along a twisting one-lane road full of blind corners; I’ve had more than one close call when someone came rocketing toward me, using the […]
Many times when I’m hiking a dirt trail I have to control a serious impulse to stop every few feet and shoot pictures both ahead and behind me. That’s especially true if I’m walking through a peaceful woodland, if the trail is surrounded by greenery and wildflowers, or if it’s so full of curves, switchbacks, and punishing hills that it […]
Hiking above the shoreline of Folsom Lake near Salmon Falls on April 2, I noticed this guy standing on a rock, and I just knew he was about to dive in. He may not have been the first swimmer of the season, but he had to be right up there on the list! But that wasn’t the only thing that […]